ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed
According to the latest 2026 ALICE Report, 30% of households in Marathon County are living below the ALICE threshold. That represents more than 17,000 households, or 41,000 individuals, who are working or living in poverty, but still do not earn enough to afford household essentials: housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and a basic smart phone plan.
Although Marathon County has seen a decrease from 32% to 30% of households living below the ALICE threshold, many continue to struggle as wages fail to keep pace with the rising cost of household essentials.
United Way of Marathon County continues to focus on our Bold Goal of lifting community members to financial stability. We invest in local programs that help further our goal, with priority on serving families and individuals living in ALICE so they can have a chance at a thriving future.
Communities with ALICE percentages higher than Marathon County include:
- Athens – 49%
- Unity – 46%
- Wausau – 41%
- Spencer – 40%
- Stratford – 38%
- Edgar – 37%
- Schofield – 34%
- Weston – 33%
- Hatley – 31%
Statistical highlights:
- 54% of single-female headed households with children, or 1 in 2 single moms, do not earn enough to meet their basic needs.
- 47% or nearly 1 in 2 seniors age 65 and older do not have adequate income to support their basic needs.
- Communities of color (includes Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, 2 races or more) are disproportionately living in ALICE, with 34% of households identified as ALICE compared with 31% of white households.
Individuals living in ALICE in Marathon County come from different backgrounds and have different lived experiences. They are farmers, administrative assistants, factory workers, custodians, nursing assistants, early childhood teachers, older adults, single moms, refugees, and so many others.
United Way of Marathon County’s focus on lifting community members to financial stability remains as important as ever.
Local United Ways across Wisconsin are committed to improving the lives of families and individuals living below the ALICE threshold by investing in and promoting resources that offer pathways toward stability. When we help advance the quality of life for those experiencing financial hardship, we uplift communities.